Pasadena yoga instructor convicted of sexually assaulting women

A jury convicted a Pasadena yoga studio owner and instructor Wednesday of sexually assaulting three women under the guise of so-called “private healing sessions,” city officials announced Thursday.

A Pasadena Superior Court jury convicted Naader Shagagi, 56, of four counts of sexual battery by fraudulent representation, city officials said in a written statement.

Shagagi, the proprietor of the Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary, 553 S. Lake Ave., was ordered to return to court for sentencing Dec. 5, officials said. He faces up to four years behind bars, and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

A total of six counts were initially filed, he said. The jury hung on two additional sexual battery charges against Naader.

The assaults took place during “so called private ‘healing’ sessions,” according to the city statement. “Evidence provided by Deputy City Prosecutor Joon Kim showed the victims were told that his intimate touching would help ‘heal’ the victims.”

“Other fraudulent representations that the defendant made to the victims included that he was a ‘healer’ who had cured others of breast cancer and that he was a ‘messenger of the gods’ who could communicate with gods,” according to the statement. “The victims were convinced to participate in multiple private ‘healing’ sessions with Shagagi during which he repeatedly groped and touched them.”

The victims were all described as young women, Boyer said. The assaults took place in 2012, however a more specific time frame was not available Thursday.

We are grateful that the jury has sent a strong message that sex crimes will not be tolerated, Pasadena City Attorney Michele Beal Bagneris said.

She also called upon any additional victims who have not yet made themselves known to come forward.

“If other victims step forward, our office will pursue these matters and seek justice for the victims,” she said.

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Bagneris encouraged all sexual assault victims to report the crimes to police.